David Silverman, President of American Atheists said, “I am shocked that the Democratic Party caved in to the pressure they were receiving because of their choice to use inclusive language in their platform.” Silverman continues, “This decision makes the Democratic Party look less like the ‘party of all people’ and only the party of those who are religious.”

“We’re disappointed,” Teresa MacBain, spokeswoman for American Atheists, told POLITICO. “What appeared to be a bold move by the Democrats to be inclusive has been pulled away. It sends a mixed message. Many, many people who are nonbelievers fall in the lines of the Democrats.”

Edwina Rogers, Executive Director of the Secular Coalition for America, said religion plays too big a role in politics at both the state and federal level.

“The comingling of God and politics that we are increasingly seeing from our politicians at both the state and federal levels is precisely what our founders aimed to avoid,” Rogers said. “The separation of religion and government is one of our nation’s core founding principles and it should be embraced by both parties, because it really is the best guarantee of freedom for all Americans — including the religious. Our founders knew that and it’s a shame today’s lawmakers don’t.”